I’m going to talk about App Development, not as an app developer because I’m too far from being one, but as an app user and someone who has taken time to research about the industry and its advancement.
Mobiles apps are developed for a certain platform, and the most popular today are iOS and Android. As per statistics, on average there are more than 30,000 new apps submitted to the iTunes App store alone each month. There are still more written for competing platforms such as Android and Windows. Currently the market is dominated by apps that are free to download, and which generally make their profits through advertising, sponsorship, in-app purchases or paid extensions and upgrades.
App developers determine the purpose of the app at the start of its creation, whether it’s intended for entertainment, education or just to kill time. Then, they still have some things to consider like:
Will it be appealing?
An app user looks for an attractive icon, as well as interesting screenshots and video about the app before he/she decides to download it. It is the marketing package design of an app which draws attention and interest.
Will it be desirable?
The next question is…Is it worth having and wanted by most people? Aside from the appearance, it’s best to consider the worth of the app, and if it will be something that app users would desire to install on their phones.
Will it be usable?
An app should be usable and compatible with many devices, and works with different platforms to achieve its purpose effectively and efficiently. App users want an app which is easy to navigate and can really be used to serve its purpose.
Will it be functional?
It should be working properly, and have consistent high performance and responsiveness. This is where app users will determine if the app is worth keeping installed on their devices.
Once the app is out in the market, app developers should always check if the app is performing according to the users’ expectations, and if it performs as intended across the devices and networks that consumers use. Because if it doesn’t, here are the actions that customers may take:
- Tell others about their bad experience and announce it on social media.
- Rate the app low and give bad reviews.
- Will not use the app anymore and uninstall it.
- If it’s a paid-app, then expect users to contact customer service and ask for a refund.
I thought app creation and development is just easy, like a tap of a button an app would appear on the app store, but now I realized that making an app then getting it downloaded by app users is not an easy task. It takes a lot of brainstorming, researching and hard work. And it doesn’t end there, because after the Design, Development and Deployment of the app comes the ability to Operate it and Optimize, so that it can survive the competition in the app market. Though I can say that the outcome, which has to do with revenue, popularity, good ratings/reviews, and fulfilling the app user’s needs, will be very much rewarding in the end.
Credits to:
http://www.statista.com/topics/1694/app-developers/ for the statistics about app developers.
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